The St. Charles herald. [volume] (Hahnville, La.) 1873-1993, 1887-01-01
HAHNvILLE, LOUISIANA SATURDAY, JANUARY l. 1887
and wishin' she hadn't made

It,
sour boy was about seven years old
then, and one mornin' about a couple
O. days after wife said what she did,
the little fellow come with me to see
the Race Queen start off as he often
did. Well, that mornin' l had her in
splendid runnin' order, as usual, and
was all ready to start when the time
come, when 1 got into discussion with
another ehgiceer, provoking, drink
ing fellow, who declared that his loco
motive could outrun the Race Queen
any time. was foolish enough TO let
the man drive me into q furious pas
sion, and my language need only be
limited at; that. darlin' child standin'
by and listenin', too!
"After the man had moved on j
heard sweet, quiet voice say! oh
papa, what makes you talk SOP 1t
makes me feel 'fraid'.
"'Oh, you run home, Frankie says
l, for l was scared on the instant to
think of the 'adjectives' the child had
heard me use. 1t was time to start,
but just then one of the railroad 'bos-
ses' come up and told me it had been
decided instead of my goin' my usual
route, to send me with the Race Qheen
some ten miles up the road to pilot an
excursion train that was to take the
president and some o. the directors to
great mass-meetin' O. railroad men.
l was not to start for an hour.
At first l thought to go home awhile,
but felt kinder backward to see my
wife, for / feared me the child might
a-told about my terrible talk in the
depot.
'Sharp on time I jumped aboard the
Race Queen, and off, off, she sped up
the smooth track, with every joint
oiled to make her glide like streak O.
light, but at an hour when trains were
not expected to go boundiR' DER that
portion O. the road. But on she tore,
no thought o. mishap in my mind, till
all at once | saw what near froZe my
blood and nigh stopped the beatin' o.
my heart-my own little son, with his
mimic express wagon, was mounting
the bank to cross the track just ahead
o. me!
"You see, once in while, stranger,
a person seems to live awhole lifetime
in about one-half minute. and at that
awful instant all my whole soul went
out in volumes of prayer to the mighty
name I'd taken so many times in vain.
Yet only saidltwo words-'God! God!'
For knew not what to do. To slacken
speed on the Instant would be simply
impossible, should push her suddenly
on, to perhaps hasten my child's de
structionP" ~
II raised my hands in dumb entreaty,
and at the second did so a great piece
from the falling branch of tree shot
into the engine and hit the lever, send
ing it violently down a notch or two,
and the obedient Race Queen at the
sudden impetus bounded forward like
a living thing! And / looked back and
saw my baby, with his little foot on the
long edged sleeper, gazing in surprise
at the locomotive which had raced by
him at that unexpected time"
The engineer gave sudden gasp and
swallowed hard, but not a man on the
platform stirred hair, and pretty soon
he went on:
"When approached that spot on
the return trip-of course it was only
an excited fancy-but all at once it
seemed as if l saw my boy just toiling
up IHe DanK 10 Cne Grdck, anu again
threw up my hands and cried God!
Godn Then bowed my head over
the lever, and took solemn VOW with
His help to quit swearing once and
forever!''
The engineer gave swift glance
along the motionless group of listen.
ers, and added:
81 don't enjoy tellin' about that aw.
full moment O. my life, but when L see
a company O. men who may possibly
think it small thing to take the holy
name O. God onto their lips in heed.
less way, no matter what young ears
may be listenin', feel called upon as
a sort of penance to tell them what the
Almighty can threaten. But He's all
mercy, come to know Him, and it's
grievous sinful to take His dear name
in vain"
With the last words the engineer
seized an oil can, gave a sharp spirit OF
two amidst the driving-wheels, and
springing to his place on the glittering
Race Queen" began ringing the
bell.-MrS. Harriet A. CheeUer, S1s Int.
rior.
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